Peter Marcus

UPDATE: This version of the story corrects an earlier version that incorrectly states "recall" law in Colorado. The corrected version states "recount" law. The Colorado Statesman regrets the error.

Gov. John Hickenlooper is weighing a controversial bill that some believe creates a separate class of the public in reviewing ballots following an election, with the aim of maintaining anonymity while also allowing for transparency.

Following a divisive three-day special legislative session, both sides of the political aisle licked their wounds on Wednesday as they mustered up the strength to discuss the highlights of the 2012 session. It was a respite from all the blame games and polarizing rhetoric that had held the assembly captive over the past week.

One day after House Republican leadership killed a bill that would have recognized same-sex civil unions in Colorado, supporters of traditional marriage lined up on the west steps of the Capitol to articulate their message that same-sex marriage and civil unions are wrong, and that the only way to halt the “breakdown of marriage” is to elect leaders who support protecting marriage as being between one man and one woman.

The 2012 legislative session ended on a high note for marijuana proponents, with two centerpiece bills opposed by the community going down in flames in a special session called by Gov. John Hickenlooper to address several pieces of lost legislation that died last week in a game of political chess.

Of the 11 bills introduced in the “extraordinary” special legislative session called by Gov. John Hickenlooper to address measures lost in a political war over civil unions, only three made it through. But all of them address the stated intent of the overall 2012 legislative session, which was meant to focus on assisting businesses with spurring job growth and bettering the economy.

Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper on Thursday called a special session of the legislature to address civil unions legislation and six of the 30 other bills condemned to death after House Republicans allowed the bills to languish on the calendar before a midnight deadline on Tuesday. The highly criticized GOP strategy was purportedly aimed at killing a controversial proposal to allow same-sex couples to have similar legal protections as traditional married couples.

Gov. John Hickenlooper joined with legislative leaders and members of the Joint Budget Committee on Monday, May 7, to sign the state budget for fiscal year 2012-13, praising lawmakers for having passed a budget with more support than it has received in 17 years.

The $7.7 billion General Fund spending plan — part of a $19 billion overall budget — was backed by 86 of the 100 lawmakers who serve in the legislature, a reflection of Colorado’s willingness to work across the aisle to pass important measures for the state, according to Hickenlooper.

Latino voters in Colorado may target Republicans in politically vulnerable legislative districts following a controversial vote last month by the GOP caucus that killed legislation aimed at providing reduced tuition rates to undocumented students.

Gay and lesbian couples on Thursday hugged their partners closely with tears of joy streaming down their cheeks, as a “courageous” Republican member of the GOP-controlled House Judiciary Committee agreed to break rank and swing her vote the Democrats’ way to allow same-sex civil unions in Colorado.

Rep. Jerry Sonnenberg, a Republican from Sterling, has found himself at odds with his own district over a proposal to prohibit the distribution of severance tax dollars to local governments that restrict or delay oil and gas operations.

The Eastern Plains lawmaker is unapologetic in defending his House Bill 1356, calling Sterling government officials “greedy” for opposing the measure. He says it is about property rights and limiting government spending, while encouraging oil and gas development across the state.